Plate-forming machine



M. 0. REHFUSS. PLATE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5.1917.

Patented May 25, 1920.

5 SHEETS- SHEET 1.

M. O- REHFUSS.

PLATE FORMING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5,1917: 1,341,589.Patented May 25, 1920.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

M. 0. REHFUSS.

PLATE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5.1917.

1,341,589; Patented May 25, 1920.

5 SHEETSSHEET 3.

JOHN DOE I500 MARKET ST PHILADA PA.

45 JOHN DOE 4300 MARKET5T.

PHILADA. PA. 5/

M. 0. REHFUSS.

PLATE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5, 1917 1,341,589, Patented May 25, 1920.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

M. O- REHFUSS.

PLATE FORMING MACHINE.

APPLICATXON FILED DEC. 5.1917.

1,341,589. Patented May 25, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

frzz Md-M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN O. REHFUSS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHNWANAMAKER, PHILADELPHIA, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA PLATE-FORMING MACHINE.

Application filed December 5, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN O. REI-IFUSS, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented a Plate-FormingMachine, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

()ne object of this invention is to provide a machine for trimming andthereafter so shaping metallic address plates as to reinforce andstiffen their side edges as well as to adapt these latter to serve asguiding ribs when the plate is used in a printing machine ;-theinvention contemplating a novel arrangement of forming dies andmechanism for actuating the same in the proper order, for bending up andturning over the longitudinal side edges of a trimmed plate in orderthat said edges shall. not only be reinforced and the plate as a wholestiffened, but also in order that said edges shall present a roundedsurface as well as have such a form as will permit the plate beingproperly guided into operative position in a machine for printing fromit.

I also desire to provide a novel form of punching press particularlyadapted for trimming sheet metal plates which shall be characterized byits compact, substantial and relatively simple. arrangement andconstruction of parts.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter setforth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a front elevation and a plan of amachine constructed according to my invention;

Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sections respectively taken on the lines 3-3and 4-4:, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan of the lower die for that part of the machineillustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section on the line 6-6, Fig. 5;

Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive are vertical sections taken respectively on thelines 7-7, 88 and 9-9, Fig. 3;

Figs. 10 to 13 inclusive are elevations of the forming dies showing themin the several positions occupied during the operation of turning up andbending over the edges of the plate;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1920.

Serial No. 205,518.

Figs. 14 and 15 are plans of the plate before and after it has beentrimmed, respectively; and

Fig. 16 is a plan of the finished address plate.

In the above drawings 1 represents a hollow box-like castingconstituting a supporting base providing bearings for a hori zontal mainshaft 2 and having formed integral with it a pair of upwardly projectingstandards 3 and 4.- in the form of substantially parallel plates. To oneside of these standards the table-like top of the base structure isprovided with a vertically extending opening through which a verticalguide 5 projects both above and below said top to which it is removablyheld by bolts 6 passing into it through a flange or collar 7.

lVithin or upon this guide 5 is mounted a vertically reciprocable slide8 whose upper end has formed integral with it an arm projectinghorizontally forward over the top of the base structure 1 and carryingon its under face a die 10 which in the present instance has anelongated rectangular outline. Within said die is mounted a stripperplate 11 yieldingly suspended from a pair of rods 12, projectingdownwardly from a supporting bracket 13 held by bolts 14 to the rearvertical face of thestructure 5; the arrangement being such that saidstripper plate is free to move upwardly within the die 10. Also mountedin the arm or head 9 is a punch 15 whose lower end terminates in orimmediately adjacent the plane of the lower face of the die 10 which itis noted is inclined downwardly from front to rear of the machine.

The top of the base immediately wander the die 10, has fixed to it arearwardly elongated substantially rectangular plate 16 constituting adie or punch designed to cooperate with the die 10 and held in place bya pair of screws 17.

The lower die 16 (Figs. 5 and 6) is surrounded by a stripper plate 18yieldingly supported on springs 19 through studs 20 whose heads enterrecesses in the base structure l in which said springs are mounted andwhose upper ends are threaded into said plate. It is noted that thesides of the latter adjacent the sides of the die 16 are preferablyprovided with teeth-like projections which extend toward and intoengagement with said die whose body is provided with a hole or passage21 designed to cooperate with the punch 15. The studs 20 and thestripper plate '18 carried thereby are retained in place by a plate 22mounted between the die 16 and the top of the base casting 1.

F or actuating the vertical movable slide 8, i

I provide an eccentric 23 fixed to the main shaft 2 and having operativeupon it a strap formed with a projecting rod 24 whose outer end ispivotally connected to a pair of toggle links 25 and 26. The first ofthese is pivotally connected by a bolt 27 to a lug or arm 28 projectingdownwardly from the underside of the top of the base, while the secondlink 26 is connected by a bolt 29 to the lower end of the slide 8,thearrangement being, suclrthat when by revolution of the shaft 2, theeccentric through the rod 24 straightens the toggle formed by the links25 and 26, the slide 3 is drawn down with suflicient force to cause thedie 10 to properly coact with the die 16 in trimming a plate.

The lower portions of the standards 3 and 4 have formed intheintransverse openings 30 and 31 at the bottom of which extends apassage or guideway having reciprocable within it a rod 32 whose upperend has the form of a trough-shaped structure or die 33 operative withinand extending between said two openings 30 and 31. The lower end. ofthis rod 32 extendsinto the hollow of the base 1 and carries a roller 34operative in thegroove 36 of a cam 35 fixed on the main shaft 2, saidgroove having such a form that at each revolution of the shaft the cammoves the rod 32 with the die upwardly.

Said rod 32 has an axially formed cylindrical bore or passageway intowhich. extends a cylindrical rod 37 fixed tothe standards by atransverse key 38 projecting through suitably formed vertical slots- 32in the sides of said first rod 32. This fixed rod 37 has on its upperend a head 39, which like the die 33, is extended into the'open inthesides of andiextending from front to rear throughthe openings 30 and 31,where they are rigidly held by any suitable means. Above the openings 30and31 there is pro vided a vertically extending guideway for a rod orplunger 41 on whose lower end is fixed, in-the present instanceintegrally, an

inverted trough-shaped die 42 having its lower edges outwardly beveledand. of the same general dimensions asthe similar lower die 33.

This upper die 42 is designed to be recip rocated by means of a lever 43pivoted on a bolt 44 extendingbetween thdstandards 3 and 4 and formedwith a short arm (Fig. 3) having branches which enter an annular grooveof the rod or plunger 41. The second and long arm of the lever 43extends downwardly into the hollow of the base 1 where it is providedwith a roller 45 operative within the groove 46 of a cam 47 fixed to themain shaft 2. This cam groove 46 is of such form that it oscillates thelever 43' onits pivot or fulcrum 44 twice to each revolution of theshaft 2, though one of these movements embraces a larger angle than theother.

Between the side members of the upper guide 42 is'slidably mounted ashort horizontally elongated die 48 also of an inverted trough-shapedsection andfixed to the lower end of a rod or plunger 49 which extendsaxially through the plunger 41 and at its upper end is pivoted to atoggle link 50. A second toggle link 51 is pivoted at one end to a bolt52 extending transversely between the upper ends of the standards 3 and54, while its lower end is pivoted to the link 50 and also to one end ofa third link 53 whose second end is likewise pivoted to the upper end ofa lever 54. The latter is pivoted or fulcrumed on a bolt 55 extendingbetween the standards 3 and 4 and having on its lower end a roller 56operative in the groove 58 of a cam 57 pinned to the main shaft 2. Thiscam groove 58 is of suchdesign as to oscillate the lever 54 andtherefore straighten the toggle 51-50 twice for'each revolution of theshaft 2.

Slidaloly operative within the hollow of the die 48 is a pressure block59 suspended from a pair of bolts 60 whose heads normally rest upon theupper ends of cylinders 61 which loosely pass through openings in theupper part of the die 42 and are screwed into the top of the inner die:48;there being springs 62 confinedbetween the upper ends of thesecylinders and the bloc-kso that this is free to yield verticallyrelatively to the die 48 to a limited extent' It is noted that the bolt52 has a central eccentric portion on which the link 51 is mounted sothat by rotating it in its supporting structures 3 and 4, said link andtherefore the toggle of which it forms a part, may be convenientlyadjusted to compensate for wear, etc. Thereafter the nut'on said boltmay be set up so as to immovably clamp it in its adjusted positions]While the main shaft 2 may be operated by any desired orsuitablemechanism, I preferably loosely mount on its" outer or projecting rearend a flywheel 63 and pin or key to said shaft adjacent the hub of thiswheel a collar 64. The face of said hub adjacent the collar is providedwith an annular series of teeth and said collar has slidably mountedwithin it a tooth 66 normally pressed toward the teeth of the hub by aspring (37. Said tooth forms part of or is at-- tached to a head orprojection 68 normally engaged by a tapering arm (39 fixed to a shaftjournaled in the base structure 1 and having fixed to it a second arm 71designed to be conveniently operated by hand to raise the arm 69 out ofengagement with said. head.

A suitable spring '73 normally holds the tapering arm in toward the mainshaft 2 but when the arm 71 is depressed, the consequent raising of thearm 69 frees the tooth 66, which is then forced by the spring 6'?outwardly into engagement with one of the hub teeth 65. Since theflywheel 63 is-constantly driven from a suitable source of power, it isthus clutched to the collar 6% which with the main shaft is consequentlyrotated. As the latter completes one revolution the tapering arm (59engages the head 68 and forcibly withdraws the tooth 66 from engagementwith one of the teeth 65, there by operatively disconnecting the shaftfrom the flywheel by the time it has made one full revolution.

The plates upon which my machine is dc signed to operate are formed ofthin sheet metal and while having a generally elongated rectangularform, are serrated on their longer sides ;each having pressed up intheir bodies the name and address of an individual. In order to bringsuch a plate to the form and shape required to fit it for use in aprinting machine, it is first delivered to that part of my inventionshown in Figs. 1 and 4, being placed. upon the forwardly projecting end18 of the stripper plate and then moved rearwardly under tlfe die 10until its inner end strikes the vertical face of the slide 8. In beingso moved it is guided by the side flanges 18 of the stripper plate andwhen it has reached the desired position, a depression of the arm 71releases the tooth 66 and as above explained, permits the shaft 2 to beturned through one revolution.

This operation, through the eccentric 23, causes the toggle members 25and 26 to be first straightened out and then returned to the angularpositions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and consequently causes theslide 8 with the arm 9 and die 10 to be forcibly moved down and thenraised. As a result said die cooperates with the lower die 16 to cutaway the marginal portions of the plate a", Fig. ll, so that it is giventhe shape indicated at 7 Fig. 15 the punch 15 forming a hole 15 in theplate adjacent one end thereof. The plate is then drawn outwardly fromthe stripper plate 18 and is inserted between the heads 39 and 59 sothat its longitudinal edges rest upon a pair of shoulders 40 formed inthe adjacent upper corners of the members 10.

A second plate .v to be trimmed is then placed upon the stripper plate1i and the clutch-controlling arm 71 is again. depressed causing saidsecond plate to be trimmed as above described and resulting in the previously formed plate 1 being given the form shown in Fig. 16, in which itis provided with turned-over beads or edge flanges y.

In order to accomplish this end, the various cams 35, 4L7 and 57 are sodesigned and set on the shaft 2 that as the die 48 is lowered, itspressure block 59 is first brought into engagement with the plate y soas to clamp it against the fixed head 39. At the same time the outer die42 is brought into engagement with the longitudinal edges of the plateand forces these down between the shoulders 10 so that they are bent atright angles in the form of narrow upwardly extending flanges.

Immediately thereafter the die l8 is lowered into engagement with theplate y, and the lower die 33 is moved up from the position shown inFig. 10 to that of Fig. 11 causing second set of bends to be made in thelongitudinal edges of the plate so that these are inclined upwardly somedistance from the first formed flanges.

As the lower die 33 recedes to the position shown in Fig. 12, the upperdie 18 is raised and the second or outer upper die 42 is lowered, thusturning the second set of side flanges from outwardly inclined positionsto positions in planes practically at right angles to the general planeof the body and the plate under process of formation. lVhile the lowerdie and the outer upper die 42 remain in the positions shown in Fig. 12,the inner upper die 18 is now lowered to the position shown in Fig. 13,and during this movement its concave lower edges engage the first formedflanges of the plate and forces these toward each other, continuing thebending of the second set of flanges until these are curved over intosuch positions that the longitudinal edges of the plate engage its body.

The plate is thus provided with two longitudinally extending edge beadsy, after which the cams so act that the upper dies 42 and 18 with thepressure block 59, are raised away from the finished plate which theyhave the form shown in Fig. 16. The side beads ;2 not only serve tomaterially stiffen it against longitudinal as well as against lateralbending, but serve as guiding ribs for insuring the proper placing ofthe plate in a machine for printing on a given body of paper or the likethe address engraved or pressed up in said plate.

From the above description it will be understood that by means of therelatively simple machine disclosed, it is possible to trim andthereafter so shape an address plate that it is in such form as to allowof its proper entrance into and positioning in a printing machine. 7

I claim l. The combination in a press, of a supporting frame having atop with an opening therein; a vertical guide fixed in said opening andextending for a substantial distance above and below the same so as toform a continuous long bearing; a substantially rectangular plateslidable in said guide and extending above and below the top andoperating through the. opening thereof, said plate having a laterallyprojecting arm at the upper end; a shaft journaled in the frame; atoggle having links one pivotally connected to the lower end of theplate; and another connected to a fixed part of the frame; meansconnecting the shaft and the toggle for actuating the latter; andco-acting dies, one on the frame and the other on said laterallyprojecting arm.

2. The combination in a press of a supporting frame having a top portionwith an opening intermediate of its ends and sides; a guide ofsubstantial and continuous width and of such length that it projectsabove and below the table, said guide passing vertically through saidopening and having a flange on an intermediate portion by which it issecured to the frame; a slide operating in the guide and havingsubstantial length and width, said slide extending above and below thetable and having a laterally extending arm at the upper end; coactingdies on the arm and frame; and means for operating the slide.

3. In a press of the character described, the combination of a framehaving a sub stantially flat top with an opening therein intermediate ofthe sides and ends; a vertical guide passing through said opening andhaving a bearing surface extending for a substantial distance above andbelow the top of the frame, and having a flange removably secured tosaid top; a slide having an extended bearing on the guide and alsoextending above and below said top, and having a transversely extendingarm; coaeting dies on said arm and frame; and means for operating theslide.

l. In a press of the character described, the combination of a framehaving a substantially flat top with an opening therein intermediate ofthe sides and ends; a vertical guide passing through said opening andhaving a bearing surface extending for a substantial distance above andbelow the top of the frame, and having a flange removably secured tosaid top; a slide having an extended bearing on the guide and alsoextending above and below said top, and having a transversely extendingarm; coacting dies on said arm and frame; means for operating the slide;a second arm, secured to the fixed guide and overlying the first-namedarm; a stripper and rods therefrom extending through the first-named armand fixed to said second arm.

In witness whereof I afiix my si nature.

MARTIN 0. RE FUSS.

